The Future of the US Navy

How big a naval force does the U.S. need? Increased competition between the U.S., China, and Russia are bringing this eversimmering debate to a boil. Several big think-tank studies have emerged in the past year to argue that today’s 275-warship fleet is insufficient, woefully insufficient, or dangerously insufficient. In May, Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. John Richardson, offered his own thoughts in a nine-page white paper: 355 ships is the right size — but the 2040 target is about two decades too late. America’s competitors are building navies that outstrip our own, he writes, and so it’s time to challenge all assumptions and start turning out better, more flexible ships and aircraft for far less money and time. We’ll lead off this ebook with a look at his vision.